Former Berks man charged with abusing daughter, leaving her blind

By
Eileen Faust, The Mercury

Thursday, February 21, 2013

A former Berks County man has been charged with nearly killing his 26-month-old daughter in 2010 while he was looking after her in Reading.

A grand jury handed down a presentment against Hector Charles Garcia, 23, who is currently incarcerated in the State Correctional Institute in Chester, Delaware County. A warrant for Garcia’s arrest was issued Tuesday, Feb. 19 on charges of criminal attempt to commit murder of the first degree, aggravated assault, simple assault and endangering the welfare of children.

According to information in a press release from the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, Garcia was watching his 26-month-old daughter on March 17, 2010 when the Reading Fire Department was called to the home in the 1000 block of Spring Street in Reading for an unresponsive child.

Garcia’s daughter was taken by first responders to Reading Hospital, then transferred to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, according to the press release.

On Dec. 21, 2012, two doctors at Hershey who treated the child met with detectives from the Berks District Attorney’s Crime Unit and informed them that Garcia’s daughter suffered a skull fracture and a tear in the vein in her head, which is considered a “massive brain injury.” The child also had eight rib fractures, a torn pancreas and damage to the ligaments in her neck. The doctors told detectives that the child could not have suffered such injuries through an accident and that they believed the child, who is currently blind and can never walk, was “thrown against something,” according to the press release.

Garcia was arrested and arraigned before Judge Gatti and given $200,000 bail on Tuesday.